On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, Andrew Huang wrote:
I remember doing this a few months back...touched it up some, and
felt like sharing it again. :)
First written...sometime in the fall of 1997. Updated 2/10/98.
This is something applicable to writers of all types, not just anime
fanfickers....
Three major "good writing" types--elements of a story that will
grab and hold a reader.
1. The Epic Weaver. The writer manages to draw together vast plots and
many diverse characters into one story, without losing sight of detail
and the individual storylines and people within the larger picture.
Thing that seem unrelated, perhaps, at first, are pulled together, as
well as the characters involved. And furthermore, it is accomplished in
a way that jumps between those varied lines before they join so as to
keep them all fresh in the mind of the reader, in a fashion that doesn't
confuse the reader through all the jumps.
To a certain degree, yes. A standard epic does seem to be
primarily a matter of scale, usually starting small (focused on a few
individuals) and expanding to encompase the world (or events of global
inportance). Things like Lord of the Rings or The Odyssey, or (for fanfic
epics) Hearts of Ice or Chasing the Wind.
However, I don't think an epic necessary has to 'draw together
vast plots and many diverse characters into one story'. An ordinary day
in the life of an ordinary human can be epic in scale, if presented in the
right way. James Joyce's Ulysses is probably the ultimate example of
that; I don't think it's been achieved in fanfiction...
2. The Wordsmith. The writer carefully crafts his prose for maximum
effect. Word choice, word order, phrase and sentence order make huge
differences in a way something reads. Describing things in a roundabout
manner, rather than directly, makes the reader think a little about
what's being written--showing, rather than telling, the story. This is
especially used for shock and humor pieces, as the work is trying to
evoke a strong reaction of some type. And, of course, lemons....
Yes and no. Showing, rather than telling, makes a big difference.
'Describing things in a roundabout manner, rather than directly', though,
is not necessarily a better approach, even with shock or horror writing.
Take Hemingway for an example: his primary innovation for writing
technique was the elimination of superfluous descriptive prose, leaving
only the essential substance. The reader is still left with a strong
emotion reaction; the difference is, instead of having the author impose
that reaction upon us (imbedded within the description, or within a
character's emotional response), the reader decides upon his or her's own
interpretation. Sometimes less is simply better.
In Our Time is a short collection of stories by H- that exhibits
his style well. For a fanfiction example... Rutsche (sp?) is the first
that comes to mind.
Of these three, only the epic is something that you consciously plan
out for the story. The other two are elements that flow into the work as
it is being written. Also the one that is hardest to develop is the
epic. It is not something that can be "practiced" for; it seems to
either come naturally, or not at all. It takes a mind that is capable of
stringing together myriad points together, something difficult to
attain. Crafting words and painting moods are in a large part a
vocabulary-based effort, so it can be "studied" for, the way one would
study for the verbal section of a standardized test. But, just as some
people simply test well, these two also come more naturally for some,
compared to others.
Errr... no. The epic _can_ be practiced. And the other two can
by planned... might as well say good poetry is just created spontaneously.
And crafting a scene and creating a mood if much more than just throwing a
lot of fancy words together. Having a great vocabulay means little; it's
the ability to string those words together creatively; to craft
unthought of metaphors to express an aspect of the human condition in an
insightful and unique way; or to see straight and clearly into the human
mind and soul and to present its contents clearly, that defines a truly
gifted writer. In my opinion.
(It's far easier, I'd say, to practice epic-writing than
unfettered perception.)
brilliantly--"The Kiss", for one. Then, when you can get someone who
does all three, well...no anime fanfic author comes to mind as a shining
example of that, so I'd give that one to Terry Pratchett. His Discworld
Terry Pratchett? C'mon. They guy's okay (though, I'm thinking,
if consitently funny, nevertheless somewhat repetitive), but not a shining
examply of the three. Tolkien does (Lord of the Rings: epic, beautiful
prose, amazing Anglo-saxon content, fascinating characters with wonderful
depth). Dostoevsky does (is Crime and Punishment an epic?).
As for fanfic authors... I dunno. I still maintain the Brigit
Engmen (sp?) is likely the best writer on the FFML (even if she keeps us
waiting for Monotagari, grrrr <grin>).
series utilizes all three elements beautifully. As for myself...
Any more types? Any comments?
<grin> Errr... yeah. Didn't plan on saying quite so much....
As for myself...
Well. I dunno. So far I've mainly done character study, and
hopefully managed to create a convincing mood or atmosphere in the
process. My biggest dilemma is that I'm frustrated with my own writing.
My lack of vocabulary, or inability to express what I want to say,
clearly. I look over my prose and think, sure, it's fine, but it's not
_good_, it's missing something. I guess I just feel like I'm not really
saying anything...
Anybody else get a little depressed/frustrated with their own
writing skills?
-Mike Noakes
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